Problem:

Winters Corp. is considering a new product that would require an investment of $20 million now, at t = 0. If the new product is well received, then the project would produce after-tax cash flows of $10 million at the end of each of the next 3 years (t = 1, 2, 3), but if the market does not like the product, then the cash flows would be only $4 million per year. There is a 50% probability that the market will be good. The firm could delay the project for a year while it conducts a test to determine if demand is likely to be strong or weak, but it would have to incur costs to obtain this timing option. The project's cost and expected annual cash flows would be the same whether the project is delayed or not. The project's WACC is 8.5%.

Required:

Question: What is the value (in thousands) of the option to delay the project?

Note: Please explain comprehensively and give step by step solution.